The NHL and the players union quietly went back to the bargaining table Friday.

As Canadians were preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend without hockey, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy Bill Daly were in Toronto for an unannounced session with players association executive director Donald Fehr and brother Steve Fehr.

While labour talks were scheduled to continue by phone this weekend — after the cancellation Thursday of the first two weeks of the season and with more games on the chopping block — the two sides sat down Friday to try to find a way to save the season.

As the lockout heads into Day 21 Saturday, sources say both sides are getting antsy about losing the season and are trying to find a way to bridge the gap so they can get some traction in discussions on a collective bargaining agreement that are going nowhere.

It’s the first time since the negotiations started in July the NHL and the union have had a meeting without informing the public, but it’s believed they wanted to get together without the outside pressure of the media hanging over their heads.

Daly confirmed the session in an e-mail to QMI Agency. They met for 90 minutes in the morning at the NHLPA’s office and then reconvened for 45 minutes in the afternoon.

“We met (Friday). Nothing scheduled for the weekend other than follow-up by phone on some of the things we talked about,” Daly said.

NHLPA spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon also confirmed the talks. Neither side was willing to characterize the discussions as progress. The only positive you can take is they did sit in the same room together.

Asked what took place in the talks, Daly said: “(We) discussed where we were in the process and how we might move the process forward (to get an agreement).”

The NHL and the NHLPA have agreed to hold more talks to see if they can resume bargaining next week.

Daly told QMI Agency Thursday it was up to the players to make the next move by putting a proposal on the table if the two sides were to get momentum in discussions for a new CBA.

The NHL wants to turn the discussions back to the “core economic” issues to try to resolve the dispute. The players have been reluctant to hold those discussions because of the large gap that exists between the sides.

Sources say Fehr has been working on a proposal but hasn’t decided whether he’s going to table it. It won’t be anything that would provide a solution but may advance talks, which have been stalled for more than three weeks.

That may be why Bettman and Daly showed up to try to get Fehr to at least put something on the table.

At this juncture, both sides have dug in their heels and have been unwilling to show any give or take in negotiations. The belief is the union has a proposal crafted, but many of the player reps feel the NHLPA has gone far enough.

“My guess is the players are struggling with the timing of when, and if, they want to give the league something,” a league insider said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

If there’s going to be a deal, the insider noted, then the sides will have to make “baby steps” in negotiations before tackling the big issue of how the league and the players will to split the $3.3 billion in annual revenues.

“I don’t doubt that both sides are starting to feel some heat to advance this forward and they’ve got to find a way to make that happen,” the insider said.

Quietly, it was a step in the right direction.

NHLers BRACING TO TAKE A HIT

The NHL players know they’re in a battle they don’t expect to win but they aren’t ready to wave the white towel.

Washington Capitals defenceman Karl Alzner told CSNWashington.com the players will get the short end of the stick in negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement but they’re trying to minimize their losses before the fight is over.

“We know we’re going to have to take a hit,” Alzner told the website Friday. “It’s just how big of a hit we need to take.

“I think both sides know what their next proposal is, it’s just who wants to give it first. The owners know what their bottom percentage is and I’m sure Don (Fehr, union head) knows what’s going to be a good one for us economically.

“But who’s going to be the first one to bite the bullet? No one wants to lose the negotiation. We understand we’re definitely not going to win it.”

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